Subjunctive Trigger Phrases

Question 1

es posible que

Answer 1

it’s possible that | DOUBT — possibility is not certainty, so what follows is uncertain

Question 2

es probable que

Answer 2

it’s probable that | DOUBT — even probability doesn’t reach certainty, subjunctive required

Question 3

es imposible que

Answer 3

it’s impossible that | DENIAL — negates the reality of what follows

Question 4

es necesario que

Answer 4

it’s necessary that | IMPERSONAL OBLIGATION — necessity imposed on someone else triggers subjunctive

Question 5

es importante que

Answer 5

it’s important that | IMPERSONAL VALUE JUDGMENT — importance directed at someone else’s action

Question 6

es una lástima que

Answer 6

it’s a shame that | EMOTION — emotional reaction to someone else’s situation

Question 7

es increíble que

Answer 7

it’s incredible that | EMOTION/SURPRISE — emotional reaction to a fact or event

Question 8

es bueno/malo que

Answer 8

it’s good/bad that | IMPERSONAL EVALUATION — value judgment about someone else’s action

Question 9

es extraño que

Answer 9

it’s strange that | SURPRISE/DOUBT — strangeness implies unexpectedness, uncertainty

Question 10

es justo que

Answer 10

it’s fair that | IMPERSONAL VALUE JUDGMENT — fairness judgment about someone else

Question 11

ojalá que

Answer 11

I hope that / if only | WISH — from Arabic inshallah, always subjunctive, no exceptions

Question 12

querer que

Answer 12

to want (someone) to | DESIRE directed at another person — different subjects required

Question 13

esperar que

Answer 13

to hope that | HOPE directed at another person’s action

Question 14

desear que

Answer 14

to wish that | DESIRE directed at another person’s action

Question 15

necesitar que

Answer 15

to need (someone) to | NECESSITY directed at another person

Question 16

pedir que

Answer 16

to ask/request that | REQUEST — you’re asking someone else to do something

Question 17

exigir que

Answer 17

to demand that | STRONG REQUEST/DEMAND directed at another person

Question 18

ordenar que

Answer 18

to order that | COMMAND directed at another person

Question 19

recomendar que

Answer 19

to recommend that | SUGGESTION directed at another person

Question 20

sugerir que

Answer 20

to suggest that | SUGGESTION directed at another person

Question 21

aconsejar que

Answer 21

to advise that | ADVICE directed at another person

Question 22

prohibir que

Answer 22

to prohibit that | PROHIBITION directed at another person

Question 23

permitir que

Answer 23

to permit that | PERMISSION — the act of permitting implies the action is not yet happening

Question 24

alegrarse de que

Answer 24

to be glad that | EMOTION — happiness about someone else’s situation

Question 25

estar contento de que

Answer 25

to be happy that | EMOTION directed at someone else's situation

Question 26

sorprender que

Answer 26

to surprise that | SURPRISE — unexpected events trigger subjunctive

Question 27

molestar que

Answer 27

to bother that | EMOTION — annoyance about someone else's action

Question 28

temer que

Answer 28

to fear that | EMOTION — fear about an uncertain future event

Question 29

tener miedo de que

Answer 29

to be afraid that | EMOTION — fear implies uncertainty about what follows

Question 30

no creer que

Answer 30

not to believe that | NEGATED BELIEF — doubt introduced by negation

Question 31

no pensar que

Answer 31

not to think that | NEGATED THOUGHT — negation introduces uncertainty

Question 32

no parecer que

Answer 32

not to seem that | NEGATED APPEARANCE — negation of seeming introduces doubt

Question 33

dudar que

Answer 33

to doubt that | DOUBT — the definition of doubt triggers subjunctive

Question 34

negar que

Answer 34

to deny that | DENIAL — rejecting the truth of what follows

Question 35

no es verdad que

Answer 35

it's not true that | NEGATED TRUTH — denial of reality triggers subjunctive

Question 36

no es cierto que

Answer 36

it's not certain that | NEGATED CERTAINTY — denial triggers subjunctive

Question 37

cuando + future

Answer 37

when (future event) | TEMPORAL + FUTURE — future events after cuando are hypothetical

Question 38

hasta que + future

Answer 38

until (future event) | TEMPORAL + FUTURE — the endpoint hasn't happened yet

Question 39

antes de que

Answer 39

before that | TEMPORAL — the action hasn't happened yet, always hypothetical

Question 40

en cuanto + future

Answer 40

as soon as (future) | TEMPORAL + FUTURE — the moment hasn't arrived yet

Question 41

tan pronto como + future

Answer 41

as soon as (future) | TEMPORAL + FUTURE — same as en cuanto

Question 42

para que

Answer 42

so that / in order that | PURPOSE — the goal hasn't been achieved yet

Question 43

a menos que

Answer 43

unless | CONDITION/PROVISO — always subjunctive, no exceptions

Question 44

a no ser que

Answer 44

unless | CONDITION — always subjunctive, slightly more formal than a menos que

Question 45

con tal de que

Answer 45

provided that | CONDITION — the condition is hypothetical until fulfilled

Question 46

siempre que

Answer 46

provided that / as long as | CONDITION — sets a hypothetical ongoing condition

Question 47

aunque + hypothetical

Answer 47

even if | CONCESSIVE + HYPOTHETICAL — uncertain future or hypothetical situation

Question 48

por más que

Answer 48

no matter how much | CONCESSIVE — the degree doesn't matter, always subjunctive

Question 49

por mucho que

Answer 49

no matter how much | CONCESSIVE — same as por más que

Question 50

quienquiera que

Answer 50

whoever | INDEFINITE PRONOUN — the person is unknown/unspecified

Question 51

dondequiera que

Answer 51

wherever | INDEFINITE ADVERB — the place is unknown/unspecified

Question 52

buscar algo/alguien que

Answer 52

to look for something/someone that | INDEFINITE ANTECEDENT — may not exist

Question 53

no hay nadie que

Answer 53

there is nobody who | NEGATIVE ANTECEDENT — non-existent person triggers subjunctive

Question 54

sin que

Answer 54

without (someone) doing | NEGATED ACTION — the action is not occurring

Question 55

como si

Answer 55

as if | HYPOTHETICAL COMPARISON — always subjunctive, always